South African pace bowling great Shaun Pollock on Wednesday criticised India’s misplaced priorities and approach to the Test series against the Proteas, saying the team’s lack of preparation stood out despite a historic ODI triumph.
“I was a little bit surprised by their batting. When they came on this tour I thought it was going to be their strength. I was a bit disappointed by the way they went (in the Test series),” Pollock said.
He asked if India would be satisfied with winning the ODI series when it should have prioritised winning the Test series instead.
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“Looking back, I think they have identified that preparation-wise they needed to be here for more time. I suppose it goes down to what are the actual goals you want to achieve. If you want to win Test series away from home, then you have to give them more priority. And priority means more preparation.
“I think going out to England, we have heard some guys are going to play county cricket. So preparation wise I think they will be better equipped when they go there or to Australia,” said the former all-rounder.
India lost the three-match Test series 1-2, after being walloped in the first two games, but secured a first ODI series win in the rainbow nation on Tuesday night.
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Practice holds the key
Pollock said, “We have seen they are now settled in ODIs. Probably they could have structured the tour better and had ODIs before Tests, and that could have been better preparation for India.
“I think practice matters. You need to have two practice matches and have a guarantee that you are genuinely good opposition than just developing players. You have to set your goals.”
South Africa’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker added, “Is it a great thing to win the ODI series or is it a great achievement to come and win a Test series in South Africa, which you haven’t done? Maybe that’s where the priorities haven’t met the same preparation.”
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The right mindset
Virat Kohli’s form in the ODI series has been one of the highlights for India, and a reason for its triumph. The skipper has 429 runs in five matches, while he was also the only batsman on both sides to score a hundred in the Test series.
“I saw an interview at the start of the tour and he was talking about backing himself in these conditions. That positivity and approach paid off for me.
“He wasn’t fearful of the conditions and he wanted to grind out performances. He obviously came here with the right mindset. I thought the rest of the batting group would have been similar, but there wasn’t anyone else who supported him particularly in the Tests,” said Pollock.
Pollock said, as captain, Kohli is trying to instil new confidence in the team.
“Kohli has had some guys support him in the ODI and that’s why India has been so good. It is a slightly depleted (South African) team but in saying that the wins India managed especially in the first three were very comprehensive.”
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Channeling emotion important
Asked about Kohli’s aggressive brand of leadership, the former South African skipper said, “I am not saying aggression is what he is offering, but it’s more the attitude that I can back myself, win the battle and come out on top.”
“Malcolm Marshall taught me to have great respect for the opposition but also to have great self-belief that wherever you come up against them, you respect them but you win the battle.”
He further added, “I think that’s what he wants to install (in the Indian team), and the confidence.”
The key is to strike a balance.
“I suppose it’s always edgy, or can be. Confidence might go into over aggression and overconfidence and that’s the balance that they need to find. But you can always curb that aggression and attitude.
“In international sport, you have to have emotion, but it matters how you channel that emotion towards being calm and towards performance rather than peripheral issues,” he added.
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Indian bowlers come through
Pollock was all praise for the Indian bowling attack that managed to take all 60 wickets in the Test series and continued to impress in the ODIs as well.
“That’s fantastic. But you have to look at surfaces that they have played on. The hardest one to get wickets was Centurion, but on the other two, there was plenty of assistance.
“But yes, I am impressed with India’s stock,” said Pollock.
The former captain felt India now have plenty of options in bowling, unlike in the past.
“It’s the first time that India have had 5-6 guys that can be picked and do a good job. In past India have relied only on Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan, or somebody like that.
“Even the spinners did a good job. So the bowling was good. If you can keep those bowlers together as a group there is no reason why India cannot be successful in England and Australia where the fast bowlers will have to do a job.”
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